Interview with Rob Wood

Hi Rob! Tell us about yourself in two sentences - who are you?

I'm soon to be retiree age, but not retiring, I love photography way too much, having worked the length and breadth of the UK. My photographic career began in 1980 when I bought, (second hand), my first SLR a Pentax MX manual camera and a 50mm lens, which I still have.

QWhat's the weirdest situation you've found yourself in while taking a photograph?

AWeirdest situation I've found myself in was in Gran Canaria at Playa del Ingles. It was early afternoon, (I love the deep, harsh shadows for my black and white work), when I was surrounded and hemmed in by four people I'd seen earlier on the beach. They made demands for money, meanwhile I could feel someone else rifling through my backpack and taking items out, I was so tightly packed that I couldn't move at all. Bear in mind that it's broad daylight in a very busy resort and people just looked on, probably couldn't believe what they were seeing. Things eased and the robbers disappeared in all directions very calmly, my backpack was much lighter than when I'd left the hotel. I could see they weren't carrying anything so the one that went through my bag obviously left before the others.

QWhat do you shoot on? What's your favourite set up?

AMy favourite set up is the 5D Mkii and 24mm wide angle. I find that wide angle involves the viewer much more in the image and perhaps may give them a feeling of being there.

QWhat's your number one tip for an aspiring photographer?

AMy tip for aspiring photographers would be to switch off 'Auto' and go to 'Manual', that way the photographer's in control, not the camera.